Lymphatic Drainage Massage after Liposuction

Lymphatic drainage massage can be used to treat any swelling and lumpiness you may experience after your liposuction procedure. Lymphatic drainage massage is a specialized massage technique designed to move the lymphatic fluid from the surgical area so that it can drain properly instead of obscuring your liposuction results.

Following your liposuction, you may experience areas of lumpiness and hard spots. These can affect your results, detracting from your final outcome. This is especially true if other body contouring treatments have been performed in the same area as your liposuction.

As frustrating as these areas may be, they are actually quite normal and are known as “post-surgical lymphedema.” When your body experiences what it perceives as a trauma, your immune system goes to work healing and repairing itself, and the result is often swelling in the injured area. Unfortunately, your immune system does not know the difference between an injury and a surgical procedure like liposuction, so it reacts in the same way.

WHAT IS LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE MASSAGE?

During a lymphatic drainage massage, a massage therapist who is specially trained in the technique uses very gentle pressure and light movements to literally move the lymphatic fluid away from the area that was treated with liposuction. This specialized massage is not painful although you may experience some slight discomfort because of the bruising that can occur following liposuction.

The motions used by the massage practitioner are often described as rotating or pumping, and they help to rid the liposuction area of the lymphatic fluid without stimulating the circulatory system to provide extra blood to the area, which often occurs with regular deep tissue massage. It’s important to seek a practitioner skilled in this type of massage since extra blood, while not harmful, will make it more difficult to identify and move the lymphatic fluid and provide proper drainage.

THE BENEFITS OF LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE MASSAGE AFTER LIPOSUCTION

In addition to being rather unsightly and obscuring your results, lymphatic swelling following your liposuction can also be uncomfortable. Encouraging drainage of the lymphatic fluid will improve your appearance and help you feel better and may speed up the recovery process.

Lymphatic drainage massage can also help speed up the bruising since the blood that has pooled in the area will be cleared along with the lymphatic fluid.

LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE MASSAGE BEFORE YOUR LIPOSUCTION

If you are considering liposuction, you may wish to call ahead of time to schedule a lymphatic drainage massage since having one or two massages prior to your liposuction can actually improve healing and drainage in the area immediately following the procedure.

HOW MAY SESSIONS OF LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE MASSAGE WILL I NEED?

The number of drainage massages you will need following your procedure can vary greatly depending on the area that was treated and the efficiency of your immune system. People who have received liposuction in the arms, legs or flank area may need only one to six drainage massages while people who have received liposuction in the abdomen may require up to twelve drainage massage sessions for the best results.